Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/62

Rh all the answer he could ever obtain on these points, while the late President of the Royal Society, who had great influence at the Board of Longitude, was avowing, in all companies, a resolution to insist on sending him to the most distant and inhospitable parts of the world, before he should receive the rest of the reward.

—After having ceased to be a Commissioner, and consequently having no more right to interfere with the concerns fit the Board than any other person outside the door of their apartment, it is impossible to divest such intermeddling of malevolent misgivings and the meanest personal enmity.

After having lost the brief authority with which he was armed, he could not desist from playing fantastic tricks before high heaven!

—We would omit the context; but if he did not "make the angels weep," this callous dishonour to the northern peerage surcharged with anguish the excellent old man, who had been above forty years dependant on the national pledge.—As the division on any disputed question before the Board is never stated on their minutes, it results that with the exception of Sir John Cust, the Manager may be allowed to have swept off the votes of the Admirals and the Civilians (and the Lunar junta were always on satisfactory terms with their good friend.) How this Nobleman of limited understanding, and of very dubious scientific pretensions, could drive the world before him, in this way, is a point, which the Author, leaving to more